Erie County Solution For Eden-Evans Ctr. Road ?

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Erie County officials say they now have some answers as to why Eden - Evans Center Road is in such poor condition with numerous potholes and heaving in the road surface.

Public Works Commissioner Gerry Sentz says a Cornell University engineer determined through testing that slag was used to build the road bed 15 or 20 years ago. Sentz says water is seeping up through the slag and then stays in the road during the freeze and thaw cycles.

Sentz says they are consulting with a contractor about the use of recycled material and concrete to repair the road bed. The plan is to repair a portion of the road this summer and then see how it holds through next winter.

If that fix works, they could then use it for the rest of the road.

County Legislator Lynne Dixon says she understands the frustration of residents who must use the road. Many people will actually drive near the center or on the shoulders of the road which could be dangerous for other motorists or pedestrians. There is also plenty of school bus traffic with Lakeshore High School and Erie BOCES 2 on the road.

Dixon says there will be funding available for work on a portion of the road this summer. But she says the overall re-construction of Eden-Evans Center Road could run anywhere between $12 and 20 Million dollars. Dixon says that project would have to be covered under the county's capital construction budget. That funding usually comes from county bond issues. But Dixon points out that County Executive Chris Collins has talked about the need to reduce debt and may use some surplus funding to cover costs instead of more borrowing.